title: Peritonitis due to Mycobacterium avium complex in patients with AIDS: report of five cases and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) often causes disseminated infection in patients at an advanced stage of HIV infection; however, peritonitis associated with disseminated MAC infection is rare.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this report, we describe five cases of MAC peritonitis in AIDS patients at our hospital, and analyze these cases alongside 11 previously published cases found in the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the AIDS patients with MAC peritonitis had CD4 counts of <50 cells/microl and elevated alkaline phosphatase levels. Other than ascites, MAC was also isolated from other sterile and non-sterile sites. Of note, six patients (37.5%) presented with chylous ascites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite therapy, MAC peritonitis is associated with a grave outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Un-In
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Mao-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ruey-Heng
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Szu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Wang-Huei
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Chien-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Shan-Chwen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult